Optical fibers may be used as transmission paths for optical signals in communications networks. Such optical fibers often must extend across many miles and large bodies of water. To protect the optical fibers, particularly in an undersea or submarine environment, the optical fibers may be included in an optical cable that provides many layers of protection. An undersea or submarine optical cable may include, for example, layers of strength members, tubing, insulation, shielding, and sheaths depending upon the system environmental conditions.
Optical cables sometimes must be coupled to other cables or to other devices (e.g., to repeaters or branching units). To repair an optical cable, for example, one segment of the optical cable may be coupled to another segment of an optical cable using a cable-to-cable joint such as a universal joint as specified by the Universal Jointing (UJ) Consortium or a Millennia® Joint available from Tyco Telecommunications (U.S.) Inc. When joining optical cables including a metallic shield layer (sometimes referred to as a screen layer), an electrical connection may be made to the shield layer, for example, to provide a ground path or a continuity path from the shield layer to another cable segment or device. When such an electrical connection is made, the shield layer and the electrical connection may be sealed from water (e.g., in an undersea environment).
Existing processes for connecting wires to a screen layer in an optical cable have involved the use of heavy metal solders and chemical flux. Injection molding has been used over the connection to reinstate the insulation. Other processes have used corrosion resistant metals or a tapered screw thread and external collet arrangement. Such existing processes may involve extensive assembly time, potentially damaging heating, high cost and/or hazardous materials.